Ruins Of Alacahöyük

The most important or the extant remains of the Hittltes at Alacahoyuk is the Sphinx Gate, which marked the entrance to the Bronze Age city. This dates to the Hittite Empire period of 1450 -1180 B.C. The original orthostats that decorated the city wall are in the museum in Ankara, but they have been replaced at the site by cast replicas, These orthostats, from the left side of the entrance are representative of a king and his queen worshipping the sacred bull; sacrificial animals; priests; jugglers, a sword swallower and a man climbing a ladder that (s standing in space; and an unfinished relief that may possibly have been intended as a chariot scene. On the right side of the entrance gate is likely a representation of the sun goddess Arlnna, who was the primary female deity of the Hlttites.

Looking from the Sphinx Gate to the north side of the site, we find a double door which forms the entrance to a temple of the Neo-Hittite or New Period, The building, including its courtyard, measures twenty by eighty meters. The remains of various other buildings can be seen at the site, as well. These date to various periods in history, The museum at Alacahoyuk has some excellent displays of objects found there during the excavations. Most have been removed to the Ankara museum.